I harvested our last carrots of the season last week. After our dry spell, I wanted to wait until we had a nice soaking rain before I started pulling the carrots out of the ground. There is nothing worse than breaking off a carrot mid-pull for a gardener. I am celebrating this first harvest with a simple salad with green apples and pecans tossed together with a maple syrup and apple cider vinegar dressing that has become my dressing for all our salads this season,

Carrot & Apple Salad with Maple Syrup Vinaigrette

by Inspired by the Seasons

For Vinaigrette:

2 tsp shallot, finely chopped
2 T lemon juice
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
2 T maple syrup
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

Place all ingredients in a lidded jar and shake until combined.

For the salad:

2 1/2 c grated or spiralized carrots
1 green apple thinly sliced
1/2 c pecans, chopped

Combine in a bowl and toss with dressing, start with about 3 T of vinaigrette and go from there. Serve right away or better yet, refrigerate overnight,

Click the images below for more fall salad inspiration.